California Under “Stay-at-Home” Order; Airports Open

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a “stay-at-home” order for the entire state Thursday evening as the state continues to combat the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The order will remain in place until further notice. 

The order will require all individuals living in the state to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain the operation of critical infrastructure. This includes airports, such as Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and others, which will remain open. 

Other tourism- and hospitality-related businesses, such as restaurants, bars and nightclubs, entertainment venues and convention centers, will close. According to the latest update from Visit California, most breweries, wineries, theme parks and ski resorts have also been temporarily closed. Public events and gatherings have also been discontinued. 

In addition to airports, essential services such as gas stations, pharmacies, banks and laundromats/laundry services will remain open, as will places to buy food, such as grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores and take-out and delivery restaurants. Essential state and local government functions will also remain open, including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services.

According to CNN, 19 people have died and more than 900 have tested positive for the coronavirus in the state. More than half of the state is projected to be infected by the virus in two months, the governor had said a day before issuing the stay-at-home order. 

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